ORLANDO, Fla. \u2013 Five longtime businesses in Orlando\u2019s Mills 50 district were recognized Tuesday with historic plaques, marking the start of a broader effort to highlight the people and places that helped shape the neighborhood.<\/p>\n
Cameo Theatre, Colonial Photo and Hobby, The Center, Track Shack and Wally\u2019s were the first businesses to receive the designations along Mills Avenue.<\/p>\n
Mills 50 is centered around Mills Avenue and Colonial Drive, about a mile from downtown Orlando. It is one of the city\u2019s 12 Main Street districts, a program designed to support neighborhood businesses and strengthen local commercial areas.<\/p>\n
Jeff Dry, board president for Mills 50, said the recognition is about more than marking buildings. It is also about supporting the small-business owners who continue to define the area.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s really the important part of the recognition also is to make sure we\u2019re supporting the small business owners,\u201d Dry said.<\/p>\n
Dry said the project has been about a year and a half in the making. He said the goal is to help residents and visitors better understand the history and character of the district.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo when people coming to Central Florida, I want them to really see the true Orlando and really getting to know the business owners that put so much behind it and live and work in the neighborhoods,\u201d Dry said.<\/p>\n
The five businesses recognized Tuesday are the first of 10 expected to receive historic plaques in Mills 50. District leaders plan to designate five more businesses over the next year.<\/p>\n
By the end of 2027, the goal is to create a walking tour that allows people to explore the Mills 50 area and learn more about its history.<\/p>\n
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